City Centre

Warsaw City Centre

Known locally as ‘Śródmieście,’ Warsaw’s City Centre isn’t exactly a district (it comprises several, actually), but more of a catch-all term for the downtown area. Definitions vary, but generally, you know it when you’re in it - wide streets, huge monumental buildings and skyscrapers, construction sites, billboards, busy crosswalks and little to stand in the way of progress. It’s the modern, fast-paced, forward-looking part of the city radiating out from the Palace of Culture & Science, and it’s here that you’ll find the majority of the city’s hotels, restaurants and bars, but also government buildings, skyscrapers and places of commerce - the dynamic heart of the contemporary capital.

In terms of tourism, it’s not exactly inviting, so why start here? Well, you’re already in it, aren’t you? Chances are you’re staying is in the City Centre, so let’s get familiar with what’s around before running off to the Old Town (p.24), shall we? Despite not being particularly cosy or nostalgic, there are still many points of interest and nowhere conveys the modern character of the Polish capital more than the City Centre.

Places to Explore

1 Plac Defilad

Most people arrive to the Polish capital via Warszawa Centralna train station, which, together with the Palace of Culture (p.17), basically comprises Warsaw City Centre’s ground zero. Plac Defilad is the vast, mostly undeveloped concrete and asphalt mess standing in and around the Palace of Culture, but particularly the east side. As the name ‘Parade Square’ hints, this mostly empty plot was created by PRL planners in the 1950s, along with the Palace of Culture. Measuring 24ha, it was until recently the second largest public square in the EU, though no one would have mistaken it for a proper square. For years it’s mostly been parking, but plenty of historical events have taken place here, from communist era propaganda parades, to rallies of hundreds of thousands for Pope John Paul II, to Christmas markets, ice rinks and New Year’s Eve concerts. After years debate about what to do with it, part of the square is currently under construction as the future home of the Museum of Modern Art. Until that happens we don’t suggest hanging around here, unless you’re on your way to the top of the Palace of Culture. If you’re not a fan of all this urban hubbub, you can escape directly by heading through the time portal of the nearby Photoplasticon (p.63). QF-8, MCentrum.